


Silver Tongue

by ReadingAlpacas



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Journalism, F/M, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-13
Updated: 2018-05-21
Packaged: 2018-08-30 17:38:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8542594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReadingAlpacas/pseuds/ReadingAlpacas
Summary: Lance moves to New York and meets the publisher of the once hard hitting publication Voltron News.





	1. Introduction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm reposting in different lengths the first chapter just because I feel more comfortable with shorter chapters. It feels like less pressure to write for me and I have decided I'm going to continue this story where I picked up. I'm pretty excited for it and I hope so are you!! The original author's note was taken away in favor of this one but the message is the same: I hope you enjoy this as much as I do writing it :p

Allura spoke according to a script, “introduce yourselves.” 

 **Confession** : When they made eye contact for the first time Lance had an out of body experience. He saw her through the audience’s eyes; the camera zoomed in her cat-like green eyes and he felt the slow pan from right to left. Enraptured from the first breathless second and Lance knew she was definitely the one.   

“Katie Holt, my friends call me Pidge.”

A second and Lance McClain, a nobody from Hialeah, had to remind himself to breathe. In and out like –

They were feet apart. He stood by the door in a hoodie that holds in his insecurities from the world and Katie Holt is wearing farmer overalls covered in fake paint. She bought it like that. He’s seen it in forever 21.

She wore glasses that were bigger than her face; they emphasize her nose and when they slid down she said,

“But, you’re not my friend, right?” There's this teasing grin, a joke he can't laugh at, he's too-

Allura cleared her throat.

He blinked. It’s been several seconds and Katie’s lips start forming a smirk growing wider with each tick of the clock.

“Very well, _Pidge_ is our political correspondent. She’s also in charge of our website, the actual format itself and inputting the stories we all write.”

It’s only after Allura has spoken that it occurs to Lance. Katie actually wanted an answer. Kind of how Allura wants an answer right now. 

He turns to the pink haired woman next to him, flustered beyond belief and only finds himself with the ability to nod. Allura lets out a breath and smiles wide before nodding back. When she turns to face the direction that Katie Holt was in, he automatically follows. 

Katie is no longer standing up. Instead, she’s sitting down, no longer looking at him preferring her nails.

He can’t remember her moving.

“Right, well I’m Hunk. That’s- that’s not actually my real name before you ask. It’s a nickname of sorts.-“

His mind starts capturing things normally again, nothing is in hyper focus and nothing is zoomed in. When his attention is called away from Katie, it’s done normally and Lance is in his own body again. Can feel his fingertips and control of his tongue. His brain does a mic test of sorts.

 _My name is Lance McClain._

_I’m from Miami, Florida._

_I’m 18 and recently graduated._

_And I should probably be paying attention._

 

“-For _all friends,_ because that’s what we’ll be if you’re gonna start working here, you know?”

Lance rubs his hands together, feeling cold without her eyes on him, “right, right.” He does a double take on Hunk.

_Hey, isn’t that-_

_“_ Aren’t you-“

Hunk smiles and his shoulder slump down, relaxed. Lance hadn’t realized how tense he was. “Yeah, you remember! We went to the same high school together!”

“We took the same English class together!” It was like Hunk clicked on the _friendlyandfamiliar.exe_ program in his brain and Lance automatically responded. He walks forward towards the small table containing the three strangers and sits on the last chair in front of them. Hands clapped together and leaning forward, smile wide, Lance is in motion.

“How did you get here, man? Miami to New York? That’s just crazy!" 

Hunk smile only gets wider and he huffs out a small laugh. “ _Ya tu sabes.”_ Lance lets out a ferocious laugh and covers his smile. “I do! I do!” He hasn’t heard anyone say that in _months._ But even in Hunks accented Spanish it sounded a lot like home.

“No kidding tho, how did you wind up here in N.Y.C?”

Lance rest his head on his laced fingers, “Family reasons, really. Figured, I was gonna stay a few months before beginning in FIU.”

“Of course, that might change if he decides to work here a full year,” Allura calls out from behind, probably still by the door.

 

He blinks. 

Right, he’s not alone. Lance leans back on his chair like it’ll let him see a wider picture. Katie is still looking down at her nails but he can tell she’s been listening and Hunk, in the center, his atmosphere silent happiness. On Hunk’s left is the last stranger, a forty year old-ish man with an orange hipster mustache. It leaves Lance gaping.

“Right well, I believe it’s my turn. Coran Darby, at your service. Currently, I’m the copy editor, of sorts. I, also, take care of the business column but it’s not really my biggest focus.”

Coran lets out his hand and Lance immediately shakes it. Hunk shakes his hand enthusiastically the moment he lets go of Coran. Before, he withdraws his hand Katie captures it and his wrist goes limp like a doll’s the moment they make contact. He smiles awkwardly at her as he finally takes back his hand. He wasn't ready.

 

Katie Holt makes him want to run away from her as fast as he can.

 

“Wonderful! The only person who’s missing is Shiro, who you know is the editor in chief. You'll meet him next time you're here.” 

He turns towards Allura who’s hugging her clipboard to her chest and beaming at him. If Lance had to guess, he would say this has been a rather successful first day at work.

“Now, if you follow me, I’ll show you my office and the bathroom. You already know where the kitchen is, don’t be afraid to use it. Hunk and Coran do, all the time.”

Of course, the day hasn’t ended. He stands up to follow her, they’re both walking out the door when he hears Katie speak, “I wonder how long he’ll last.”


	2. Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I want eveeryy chapter to be around 900 words ^U^!! The next chapter will have Shiro in it and depending if there's space for it maaybe Keith's role will come out :P Who knows ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

Perhaps, next time you could use a nice button up shirt?” His tone is nice and it’s not sarcastic or ill-intended. It's the first thing he says when saw Lance and maybe that's why it irks him. 

Ever since meeting in LGA, his dad never asks for anything. Instead, he phrases any _concerns_ as suggestions and Lance always follow them. After all, he’s not paying rent.

 _Mi casa, mis reglas;_ his mother would say and he imagines if his father wasn’t so desperate at making this work, so would he.

Lance looks up at his dad and smiles through white, straight teeth, “sorry, I didn’t do laundry this week.”

“That’s all right, next time, you could just borrow one of mine. We’re about the same size, right?”

Lance sleeves cover his hand, he imagines if his dad borrowed his hoodie then the sleeves would end at his wrist like they’re supposed to.

“Yeah, I think so.”

 

He stuffs both of hands in his pockets and they start heading inside the church. 

“Have you already confessed? I know the church can be rather _busy_ but-“

They pause before entering the sanctuary, dip their fingers in holy water offered and make a cross. They continue forward looking for seats through the crowd.

“But, I could talk to the priest if you like?”

Lance pretends to think about it, knowing already he wants to say no. They manage to find seats in the center, a compromise between Lance wanting to sit in the back and his father in the front.

 

“Yeah, that would be nice. I haven’t had time to, you know-“ His dad gives him a second to find the correct word in English, “ _to seek_ him. I was pretty busy this week, actually.”

However, he can’t lie about going. His dad seems like the type to ask the priest about it.

 

His dad smiles fully at him, seeming satisfied and reassured that his son is a good Catholic boy. The son he didn’t _even_ raise.

 **Confession:** He doesn't want to be here with a reformed drunk.

Lance honestly cannot care for what a priest's thoughts would be on his life. However, “I’ll tell you when I speak to him, alright?" He'll go anyway. 

The priest begins to call for their attention and the crowd quiets down. A baby’s wail echoes and the priest greets them.

 

“I hope everyone’s week has been well. My granddaughter came to visit me yesterday. We should be grateful for the family we have. Blood or not, correct?

 

The crowd murmurs agreement, a good mood settles around them.

 

“It’s never too late to form a strong relationship with those we've taken for granted or scorned. Forgiveness is key.”

 

Soon after, mass begins.

 

+++

 

He’s staring at the menu, trying to see if he’ll actually order something new or go with the usual. Hunk is next to him, drink in hand. Lance caught him as he was leaving. 

“So, what are your thoughts so far?”

Allura has kept them all in the conference room, which in actuality is the living room, with ideas on how to keep Voltron relevant and "fresh". It was pretty depressing for Lance making him feel more like he was working for his school paper. Instead of the hard-hitting publication that used to rival the New York Times. “I’m thinking that I might go with my usual, a very berry with lemonade and no ice.” Lance hiccups a small laugh as he says it, especially when he sees Hunk smiling along and rolling his eyes at him.

“Do you usually laugh at your own jokes?”

“Can’t help if I’m hilarious.” He shrugs and they both move up the line. It’s rather lucky for them that Allura’s apartment is above a Starbucks.

“But, honestly your thoughts on Voltron?”

 

_His thoughts, his thoughts, his thoughts._

_That’s a toughie, ain’t it?_

_Right now, Voltron is a mess. But for some reason, he feels a future for it.  
_

He turns to Hunk, “well, right now, I’m just glad to have a job.”

Hunk shakes his head and takes another sip of his drink, “I know what you mean. I started working at Voltron two years ago. Only weeks after I moved to New York and it was just a part-time job.”

They move up, one more until Lance can order. He can almost taste it.

“I actually met Pidge around that time, too.” Attention. Captured.

He turns to Hunk and is surprised to see Hunk smirking at him. Lance looks down. He rubs his neck, warm all over. He’s been had. Here, he thought Hunk had no mean bone in his body. 

“That was cruel.”

 

“No, what was cruel was having to witness that weird eye contest you had with Pidge and that’s kinder word for it. _That was cruel.”_

Lance wants to die, for some reason he thought-

Well, he didn’t, actually. Perhaps, that was the problem.

Point is: death? He wants it, soon. Amazon two-day shipping, please?

 

“I have _no, no, no, no idea_ what you’re talking about.”

They move up and Lance finally orders, not making eye contact with Hunk as he does. When they move towards the pickup station, he can practically hear Hunk gloating.

“Well, if you’re gonna do that today, try to get a room for it.”

Lance can’t help it, he finds shelter in his hands from Hunk’s awful knowing look but he couldn’t escape his laughter.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See all of u veeeryy soon :P


End file.
